Convertible folding top with automatic seal at rear quarter



Oct. 2, 1951 MACK"; r 2,569,724

CONVERTIBLE FOLDING TOP WITH AUTOMATIC SEAL AT REAR QUARTER Filed Aug. 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l Hil 'IIIIII 5 m 0% w V. film/w 2 M w 4 4; f. WMM r0 of. H5

Oct. 2, 1951 H. A. MACKIE 'ETAL CONVERTIBLE FOLDING TOP WITH AUTOMATIC SEAL AT REAR QUARTER Filed Aug. 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 w we 2 b M; J m 7 m1: HS

Patented Oct. 2, 1951 CONVERTIBLE FOLDING TOP WITH AUTO- MATIC SEAL AT REAR QUARTER Harry A. Mackie, Birmingham, and Stanley Duluk, Dear-born, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application August 12, 1949, Serial No. 109,974 Claims. (01.296-107) This invention relates to automatic sealing for a convertible top. Convertible tops are now fastened along the rear edge permanently to the body or tonneau. At the sides, just to the rear of the rear side window, the fabric has to be releasably fastened to the top of the body or tenneau by means of releasable fastening means. This fastening means may take the form of an inverted dovetail channel strip fastened to the top of the tonneau and extending longitudinally of the body. The foldable top has a stiff flap sewed on the inside. When the top is up this flap has to be tucked under the inverted channel. This has to be done by hand and is quite a chore as very often after the top has been in use for some time it is hard to stretch the top material and hook the flap under the channel. Another form of fastening the top material to the top of the tonneau at the rear quarter is to use a plurality of metal channel strips in which fasteners or studs on the inside of the top may be snapped in place, and the studs will slide out the ends of the channels when the top is folded down. This snapping the fasteners in the channels has to be done by hand after the top is raised. In both these arrangements the top material is automatically disengaged when the top is folded down. However both of these arrangements have the disadvantage that each time the top is raised the top material should be fastened in plac at the .sides when it has been released and this has to be done by hand. Furthermore the car can never be reliably locked because the top material may be easily pulled away from the top of the tonneau and the arm reached into the body to open the door.

It is the object of our invention to provide an automatic fastening and sealing means at the top and sides of the tonneau of the convertible. This fastening means never has to be operated or touched by the driver of the car. When the top is raised the device automatically goes into action and binds the top material against a sealing strip that is fastened to the top and sides of the tonneau. Hence three advantages are derived from this structureover what has been the prevailing practice. First, the device is automatic in its operation and requires no human interposition. Second, the device weatherseals as well as fastens the material to the top of the tonneau in a way that is not afforded by previous structures, and third, the material is locked in place so that it is not possible to release it to reach into the interior of the car to unlatch the .doors.

J2 to toggle arm Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective of the inside of the convertible adjacent the rear seat.

Figs. 2, 3, and 6 are sections on the corresponding section lines of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on the corresponding sections lines of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective of the inside of a convertible adjacent the rear seat, showing another form of our invention.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

l is the main bow of the folding top which is ordinarily raised and lowered by a power, usually a hydraulic or electric motor. Inasmuch as our improvement would work with a folding top that is raised and lowered by hand power, it is thought unnecessary to show the power means which is no part of the invention.

The main bow I is pivoted on a fulcrum pin 2 which is fastened to an anchor 3 which comprises a flanged stamping spot welded to the inside of the folding top compartment panel 4. The main bow has a sheet metal elbow 5 pivoted to it by means of the stud 6. The elbow with an interposed spring lock Washer l engages over a spherical washer 8. This elbow 5 is fastened through the slots 9 to the toggle arm In, which has a stamped out longitudinally extending boss ll. Toggle arm I!) is pivoted at the knee by pin l3 which is pivoted by stud I 4 to the bracket 15, which in turn is welded to the inside of the tonneau panel. The screws l6 and the slots 9 allow the elbow 5 to be adjusted slightly along the end of the toggle arm in.

In the form of the structure shown in Fig. 7 the toggle arms are replaced by a single wiping arm Illa which has punched out wiping boss Ha. This wiping arm Illa instead of being guided in its movement by means of the toggle arm l3, as in Fig. 1, is guided by a slot I! in the bracket I8. The wiping arm Illa has a turned down portion 19 that passes through the slot I! in the bracket l8 and thereby guides the rear end of the wiping arm when it is thrown up or down--the latter position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7.

The top fabric or material 26 is permanently fastened by rivets Zl to the rain trough 22 which in turn is spot welded to the folding top compartment panel 4. Belt molding 23 loops over the top of the rear quarter panel 24, and this and a retaining strip 25 are fastened to the looped under top edge of the folding top compartment panel 4 by means of the screws 26. The finned Weatherstrip 21 is held in between the retaining strip 25 and the belt molding 23 as plainly shown in Fig. 2.

When the top folds down, the extra top material provided by the section 28 of the top which is below the belt line fastened to the rain trough 22, drops down into the folding top compartment or well. When the top is raised by raising the main bow I and the other connected bows (not shown) the material is stretched as shown in Figs. 2 and 8. In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the toggle arms fold up to the near straight line position and the wiping arm ill, with its struck out boss ll, wipes against the top material 28, pressing this firmly against the in-leaning fin of the weather strip, pressing that fin out- '4 structure supported by the tonneau and having flexible top material supported by the bows and having the top material at the rear quarter extending down and supported by said panel on the inside and below the top of the metal body or tonneau, said top material spreading and adjoiningthe inside of the top of the side of the tonneau when the bow structure is raised, and an arm secured to a bow and operable simultaneously with the bow to engage the inside lower portion of the top material in raising the folding bow structure and produce a weather seal between the top material and the top of the side of the tonneau.

wardly as shown in both Figs. 2 and 8. This I firmly holds the top material against the sealing neau having a body panel, a folding bow strucweather strip 21 and provides a very good fas- 4 tening means at the top'of the tonneau in place of the channel type ,of fastener described in the preamble. Furthermore, it gives a reliable weather seal by means of pressing the top material 28 tightly against the rubber weather strip. If any water does seep through the connection at this point, it runs down and is caught in the rain trough 22 and is discharged at a separate point by means of the rubber tube 30. A reiniforcing material 38 is sewed to the flexible top material to take the rubbing action.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-6,'panels d and 24 with their turned over upper edges, together with belt molding 23, form the belt rail. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the turned over edges of panels 4 and 25 form the belt rail.

What we claim is:

1: In a convertible automobile body, the combination of a lower metal body structure or tonneau having a body panel, a folding bow struc 'ture supported by the tonneau and having flexible top material supported by the bows and having the top material at the rear quarter extending down and supported by said panel on the inside and considerably below the top of the metal body or tonneau, a sealing strip of rubber with a leaning-in rubber fin secured to the top of the side of the tonneau at the belt line and arranged to engage the outside of the folding top material when the top is raised, and a wiping arm secured to a bow and operating so that the wiping arm is caused to wipe the inside lower portion of the top material in raising the top and press the top material against the inside of the sealing strip when the top is raised.

2. In a convertible automobile body, the combination of a lower metal body structure or tonneau having a body panel, a folding bow structure supported on the tonneau and having flexible top material supported by the bows and having the top material at the rear quarter extending down and supported by said panel on the inside and considerably below the top of the metal body or tonneau, a sealing strip secured to the top of the side of the tonneau at the belt line and arrangedto engage the outside of the folding top material when the top is raised, a swinging wiping arm pivoted to and actuated by part of the bow structure, and means for guiding the arm so that it is caused to wipe the inside lower portion of the top material in raising the 3. In a convertible automobile body, the combination of a lower metal body structure or tonneau having a body panel, a folding bow below the top of the metal body or tonneau, a

portion of said top material spreading and adjoining the inside of the top of the side of the tonneau when the bow structure is raised, a wiping arm attached at one end to a bow and means at the other end of the arm to guide it so that it is caused to wipe the inside lower portion of the top material in raising the top to seal the joint of the top material with the adjoining top of the tonneau.

5. In a convertible automobile body, the'combination of a lower metal body structure or tonneau having a body panel, a folding bow structure supported by the tonneau and having flexible top material supported by the bows and having the top material at the rear quarter extending down and secured to said panel on the inside and below the top of the metal body or tonnea'u, said top material spreading and adjoining the inside of the top of the side of the tonneau when the bow structure is raised, a wiping arm pivoted to a bow, and a guide for the rear end of the wiping arm whereby the wiping arm is caused to wipe the inside lower portion of the top material in raising the top to engage the top material and urge it toward the adjoining portion of the tonneau and thereby provide a watertight seal between said top material and said tonneau.

6. In a convertible automobile body, the combination of a lower metal body structure or tonneau having a body panel, a folding bow structure supported by the tonneau and having fiex- 'the top material when the top is raised, and

means for guiding the rear end of the wiping arm comprising a slotted bracket secured to the tonneau, and through which the rear end of the wiping arm passes.

7. In a convertible automobile body, the combination of a lower metal body structure or tonneau having a body panel, a folding bow structure supported by the tonneau and having flexible. top material supported by the bows and having the top material at the rear quarter extending down and secured to said panel on the inside and below the top of the metal body or tonneainsaid flexible top material spreading and adjoining the inside of the top of the side of the tonneau when the bow structure is raised, a wiping arm pivoted to a bow and caused to engage the top material when the top is raised to weather seal the joint between the two said adjoining elements, and means for guiding the rear end of the wiping arm comprising a swinging link or toggle arm pivoted to the rear end of the wiping arm and to the tonneau.

8. In a convertible automobile body, the combination of a lower metal body structure or tonneau having a body panel, a folding bow structure supported by the tonneau and having flexible top material supported by the bows and having the top material at the rear quarter extending down, a rain trough secured to the bottom of said flexible top material and to said panel on the inside and below the top of the metal body or tonneau, said flexible top material spreading and adjoining the inside of the top of the side of the tonneau when the bow structure is raised, and a wiping arm secured to a part of the movable bow structure and acting simultaneously with said bow structure to engage the inside lower portion of the top material in raising the top to press the two adjoining members toward each other and thereby produce a weather seal therebetween.

9. In a convertible automobile body, the combination of a lower metal body structure or tonneau having a body panel, a folding bow structure supported by the tonneau and having flexible top material supported by the bOWs and having the top material at the rear quarter extending down and secured to said panel on the inside and below the top of the metal body or tonneau, said top material spreading and adjoining the top of the side of the tonneau when the bow structure is raised, and a wiping arm provided with a punched out wiping boss attached to a part of the bow structure and guided at its other end to cause it to wipe the top material in raising the top and seal the joint between the top material and the top of the tonneau.

10. In a convertible automobile body, a fixed side wall member having at the top a belt rail, a swinging main bow mounted on said wall memher, a collapsible top movable with the bow between raised and lowered positions and including at the rear quarter foldable top material fastened at its lower end to the side wall member below the belt rail and arranged when the bow is raised to extend upwardly beside the belt rail and beyond the same, a deformable element eifective to afford a weatherproof seal positioned between the adjoining surfaces of the belt rail and the foldable top material when the bow is raised, and a pressure arm movably connected with the bow for cooperative relation with the belt rail to squeeze the deformable element therebetween for a tight joint.

HARRY A. MACKIE. STANLEY DULUK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,809,505 Campbell l June 9, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 564,361 Great Britain Sept, 25, 1944 

